Maduro rejects European demands for new election

Britain, Germany, France and Spain all said they would recognize Guaido if Maduro failed to call fresh elections within eight days, an ultimatum Russian Federation said was "absurd" and the Venezuelan foreign minister called "childlike".

The tumult erupted when Mr Guaido, the 35-year-old leader of Venezuela's opposition-controlled congress, declared before masses of supporters last week that he has temporarily assumed presidential powers, vowing to hold free elections and end Mr Maduro's dictatorship.

Maduro said his country is a victim of the ongoing attacks and the U.S. Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump all targeted Venezuela.

French President Emmanuel Macron followed suit in a tweet, saying "the Venezuelan people must be able to freely decide on their future", as did German government spokeswoman Martina Fietz.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday (Jan 27) rejected a European ultimatum that he call elections as opposition rival Juan Guaido stepped up appeals to the military to turn against the leftist government.

- Worldwide creditors and allies: China, Venezuela's biggest creditor with some $20 billion dollars owed, said Thursday it opposed "external interference" after the United States and some allies recognized Guaido as interim leader.

Guaido was swarmed by television cameras as he stepped out of a Roman Catholic church on Sunday and said he'll continue to press forward with plans to install a transitional government in Venezuela led by himself and members of the National Assembly.

Guaido, who took the helm of the National Assembly on January 5, proclaimed himself interim president on Wednesday.

"Let's not escalate tensions around Venezuela", he said at the end of the almost six hour council meeting. "We trust solidarity of Turkish nation and President Erdogan".

"Amnesty is good as long as it is not for human rights violators", said Bonny de Simonovis, wife of Ivan Simonovis, a police chief arrested in 2002 and who is under house arrest. This is the USA supporting the people of Venezuela, who want their constitution and democracy followed.

Search for 300 missing after deadly Brazil dam collapseThe far-right leader campaigned on promises to jump-start Brazil's economy, in part by deregulating mining and other industries. Shares in Vale, one of the biggest mining companies in the world, fell 8 per cent in NY on Friday after the disaster occurred.

Up to now however Maduro has retained the loyalty of the powerful military. The opposition largely boycotted the vote after its senior leaders were blocked from taking part.

But the history of USA military involvement in Latin America, along with reports that the administration met previous year with Venezuelan officers who wanted to plot a coup before rebuffing them, has raised questions about whether the White House would direct a military intervention again. Some tore up or set fire to the paper, which promised no civil or criminal retribution for acts committed under Maduro's government, considered illegitimate by the United States, Canada and most Latin American nations.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza rejected the ultimatum.

Maduro accused the USA of attacking on Venezuela and planning a coup attempt in the country.

"I'm so happy that they are supporting us and standing with us".

Pompeo urged countries to help isolate the Maduro regime economically, saying they should "assure that they disconnect their financial system from the Maduro regime".

The withdrawal order, which had a Saturday night deadline, has been shelved for 30 days to allow talks over setting up a "US interests office".

Venezuela's Guaido arrives for a news conference in Caracas on Friday.

Venezuela abandoned its decision to sever diplomatic ties with the U.S., stating that each country agreed to keep a so-called interest section open in their respective capitals.

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